| You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to | | | | are byproducts of |
| your backyard | | | | fish waste and can wreak havoc with your Koi's |
| pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a | | | | health. After a |
| pretty good | | | | while Mother Nature will kick in some help by allowing |
| job of taking care of really big ponds, so why would | | | | beneficial |
| your | | | | bacteria colonies to develop that enjoy eating nitrite |
| backyard ecosystem pose much of a challenge to | | | | and |
| her?Unfortunately, the fact is your backyard pond is | | | | ammonia for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They won't |
| only going to | | | | be present in |
| get some cursory attention from Mom; the rest of the | | | | new ponds, however, unless you buy some bacteria |
| work is | | | | starter kits to |
| going to be left up to you.In the "real world" chlorinated | | | | kick start the process.Your garden pond could |
| water doesn't find its way into | | | | become overtaxed, ecologically, if you add |
| ponds very often. "Big" pond water passes through a | | | | too many fish too quickly. Start out adding no more |
| great many | | | | than two per |
| natural filtration and oxygenation systems, and the | | | | week so that the newly introduced bacteria do not |
| various fish | | | | get overwhelmed |
| and flora work together to keep the pond clean and | | | | by the waste that will be produced.Just when you |
| fresh. Our | | | | think you've got it all under control that ugly |
| backyard ponds don't have quite that much help, so | | | | thing called "pH" raises its head. Testing for pH levels |
| here's where | | | | is also |
| you need to step in:If you are going to keep fish then | | | | very important since neither plants nor fish will survive |
| you absolutely must remove all | | | | very |
| traces of chlorine from your pond before your | | | | long if the pond's pH is out of whack. Your pH test kit |
| favorite Koi set up | | | | should |
| housekeeping. Pond fish cannot live in chlorinated | | | | show a reading of between 6.8 and 7.4. You can add |
| water so don't | | | | the proper |
| even try. There are many products available to | | | | chemicals to raise or lower if as neccessary.Speaking |
| remove chlorine | | | | of test kits, get one that will allow you to test the |
| quickly, or you can opt for the old-fashioned, natural | | | | pond's salt levels as well. Unless you're raising baby |
| way if you | | | | Sea bass, |
| have the time to spend.If you opt for 'a la natural' then | | | | too much salt is not a good thing.After your pond is |
| expect to wait about 8 to 10 | | | | fully established, Mother Nature will lend a |
| days for the chlorine to dissipate. You will need to | | | | bigger hand and you can settle into a routine of |
| make sure | | | | testing every |
| that your pump and filter are running and that you | | | | three of four weeks unless something serious, such |
| have set up an | | | | as flooding, |
| aerating method such as a waterfall or "splasher" to | | | | has occurred in between.Brett Fogle is the owner of |
| bring oxygen | | | | MacArthur Water Gardens and several |
| into the water. Make sure that the pond is exposed to | | | | other pond-related websites including |
| plenty of | | | | and He |
| sunlight (the natural enemy of chlorine), and use a | | | | also publishes a free monthly |
| chlorine | | | | newsletter called PondStuff! with a reader circulation |
| testing kit to check the water daily.Me? I just drop | | | | of over |
| some de-chlorinating product into the pond and | | | | 9,000. To sign up for the free newsletter and receive |
| check back the next day.Even if chlorine is totally | | | | our FREE |
| removed, you still have nitrite and | | | | 'New Pond Owners Guide' visit MacArthur Water |
| ammonia to worry about. These two toxic buddies | | | | Gardens today! |